Infection prevention and control in outpatient settings in China—structure, resources, and basic practices

Publication date: July 2018
Source:American Journal of Infection Control, Volume 46, Issue 7
Author(s): Fu Qiao, Wenzhi Huang, Zhiyong Zong, Weijia Yin
BackgroundMore than 7 billion visits are made by patients to ambulatory services every year in mainland China. Healthcare-associated infections are becoming a new source of illness for outpatients. Little is known about infection prevention, control structure, resources available, and basic practices in outpatient settings.MethodsIn 2014, we conducted a multisite survey. Five provinces were invited to participate based on geographic dispersion. Self-assessment questionnaires regarding the structure, infrastructure, apparatus and materials, and basic activities of infection prevention and control were issued to 25 hospitals and 5 community health centers in each province. A weight was assigned to each question according to its importance.ResultsOverall, 146 of 150 facilities (97.3%) participated in this study. The average survey score was 77.6 (95% confidence interval 75.7-79.5) and varied significantly between the different gross domestic product areas (P < .01), but scores were not significantly different between the 5 facility types (P = .07). The main lapse of infrastructure was in providing hand hygiene equipment (43.4%) and masks (38.7%) for patients in the waiting areas and main entrances.ConclusionIn a sample of ambulatory facilities in 5 provinces in China, infection prevention and control was practiced consistently, although there were lapses in some areas.



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